Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra vs Huawei Mate 40E: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra emerges as the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 888 chipset delivers demonstrably better performance, coupled with significantly faster 67W wired and wireless charging. While the Mate 40E remains a capable device, the Mi 11 Ultra’s advancements in display brightness and charging technology justify its higher price point.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Mate 40E | Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 42, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 10 | 2021, March 29 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 18 | Available. Released 2021, April 02 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), ceramic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158.6 x 72.5 x 8.8 mm (6.24 x 2.85 x 0.35 in) | 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.4 mm (6.47 x 2.94 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 188 g (6.63 oz) | 234 g (8.25 oz) |
| IP53, dust and splash resistant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2376 pixels (~402 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 102.7 cm2 (~89.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.81 inches, 112.0 cm2 (~91.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR10, 90Hz | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 900 nits (HBM), 1700 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.36 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Kirin 990E 5G (7 nm+) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MP14 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10, EMUI 11, no Google Play Services | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, MIUI 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, 1.1” AMOLED selfie display |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) | 20 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.9, 27mm (wide), PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 85mm (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide) | 50 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/1.12", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/4.1, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 12mm, 128˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF |
| Video | 4K, 1080p, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960/1920fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+ rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) | 20 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K, 720p@240fps | 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio Tuned by Harman Kardon | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| Infrared port | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass |
| - | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 40W wired 40W wireless 5W reverse wired | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 36 min 67W wireless, 100% in 39 min 10W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4200 mAh | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Silver, White, Black | Ceramic White (Cosmic White), Ceramic Black (Cosmic Black) |
| Models | OCE-AN50 | M2102K1G, M2102K1C |
| Price | About 600 EUR | About 1500 EUR |
| SAR | - | 1.08 W/kg (head) 0.81 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.55 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.3 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 688720 (v8) GeekBench: 3191 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Huawei Mate 40E
- Potentially more compact design
- Huawei ecosystem integration
- Competitive price point (likely lower now)
- Older chipset (Kirin 990E)
- Slower charging speeds
- Likely inferior camera performance
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
- Superior performance (Snapdragon 888)
- Significantly faster charging
- Brighter and potentially higher-quality display
- Larger and heavier form factor
- Potentially higher price
- Xiaomi’s MIUI software may not appeal to all users
Display Comparison
The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 943 nits, compared to an unspecified brightness for the Mate 40E. This higher peak brightness translates to improved visibility in direct sunlight. While both likely utilize AMOLED panels for vibrant colors, the Mi 11 Ultra’s infinite contrast ratio suggests a more refined panel with deeper blacks. The absence of refresh rate data for the Mate 40E suggests it may not match the smoother experience potentially offered by the Mi 11 Ultra, though this is speculative.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are marketed for their camera capabilities, but the Mi 11 Ultra likely holds a substantial advantage. While both are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, the Mi 11 Ultra’s sensor size and image processing algorithms are expected to be more advanced, given Xiaomi’s focus on camera innovation. The Mate 40E’s camera system, while competent, is likely to be outmatched in low-light performance and dynamic range. Details on specific sensor sizes and apertures are needed for a more precise comparison, but the Mi 11 Ultra’s reputation suggests a superior imaging experience.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm), while the Huawei Mate 40E features the Kirin 990E 5G (7nm+). The Snapdragon 888’s 5nm process node provides superior transistor density and thermal efficiency compared to the Kirin 990E’s 7nm+ node, resulting in higher sustained performance and less throttling under heavy load. The Snapdragon 888’s Cortex-X1 prime core also offers a performance advantage over the Mate 40E’s Cortex-A76 cores. While both CPUs are octa-core, the architectural differences favor the Mi 11 Ultra for demanding tasks like gaming and video editing.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 95 hours, indicating similar overall battery life despite differing charging capabilities. However, the Mi 11 Ultra’s charging speeds are dramatically faster: 67W wired (0-100% in 36 minutes) and 67W wireless (0-100% in 39 minutes) versus the Mate 40E’s 40W wired and 40W wireless. This means the Mi 11 Ultra can be topped up much more quickly, minimizing downtime. The Mi 11 Ultra also offers 10W reverse wireless charging, while the Mate 40E provides 5W reverse wired charging, offering slightly more versatility.
Buying Guide
Buy the Huawei Mate 40E if you prioritize a more compact form factor and are deeply embedded in the Huawei ecosystem, potentially benefiting from its software optimizations. Buy the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra if you demand top-tier performance, a class-leading camera system, and the convenience of incredibly fast charging – especially if you frequently capture photos and videos or engage in demanding mobile gaming.